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Tension In B’Haram, ISWAP As Commanders Turn Against Shekau
There is brewing tension among the hierarchy of the Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP), the two major terror groups operating in the North-East, it has been reliably gathered.
A reliable source close to some of the repented Boko Haram commanders, said that there is a major plot to execute the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shakau, over growing mistrust and struggle for supremacy.
According to the source, who craved anonymity, many of the Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders have been killed as a result of infighting among the insurgents.
It was gathered that fresh crisis hit the terrorists’ camps after the extermination of Muhammad Shuwa, Abu – Mossad Albarnawee and Baa Idirisa on February 9, 2020.
The death of these two top commanders, the source said has deepened the suspicion and distrust in Shekau’s camp.
He disclosed further that most of Shakau’s key commanders and fighters had deserted him and are secretly planning to execute him.
According to the source, “key commanders under the leadership of Mallam Bakura have been constantly planning to kill Shekau because of his high handedness, erratic disposition, mental imbalance and non-adherence to pristine Islamic tenets or the original BHTs’ doctrine and Ideology.
“They further accused him of serial clandestine killings of some terrorists’ commanders that he viewed as threats to his despotic leadership. Also it was revealed that Shekau has uncontrollable mad desire for women including his fellow jihadists’ women and daughters”.
All these the source said have “increasingly alienated him from some of his high profile commanders that are now surreptitiously planning to eliminate him. It is just a matter of time that Shekau will be no more.
The source added that “the latest information from though yet to be confirmed is that Shekau has been eliminated by his detractors who are averse to his inordinate lust for raping women and under aged girls including those married to his fellow jihadists fighters. His penchant for the use of girl-child for suicide bombings has been a great issue of concern in the terrorists’ camp.
“The major point of disagreement between the two camps lies in what a source described as anti-Islamic activities and indiscriminate killing of people whether Moslem or Christians, children or adults, including raping women who are married or unmarried.
“These problems are compounded because of the increasing operational activities of Nigerian troops and the Multinational Joint Task Force in Northern Borno State”.
However, no fewer than eight Boko Haram fighters and their family members, including six women and eight children have surrendered to troops of 152 Task Force Battalion deployed at Banki Town in Bama Council Area of Borno State during clearance operations by troops.
The surrendered terrorists, according to a statement by the Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col Aminu Iliyasu, yesterday, include Tija Bo Isa, Ba Amodu Aba Kaka, Modu Zantalami, Malam Zantalami and Bakura Aba Kaka (Boko Haram logistics supplier).
Others were Bulama Modu Zantalami, Abukar Izahi and Bana Katum.
“During preliminary interrogation, the surrendered terrorists regretted their involvement in the dastardly acts of killing and abduction of innocent people as well as attacks on security agencies.
“They equally disclosed that their leadership has been in disarray for the past four months since the renewed offensive actions by the troops against their enclaves leading to high casualties on their foot soldiers amidst serious dislocation of their command structures.
“They further disclosed that many of their erstwhile colleagues are wandering in the forest and willing to give up their unholy adventure but are afraid of being killed by the security agencies. They therefore call on them to take the bold decision and surrender to any Nigerian Army unit closest to them as the safety of their lives are guaranteed”, the statement read in part.
“Troops of 5 Brigade Mobile Strike Team in conjunction with Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion II and elements of 145 Battalion (Main) also rescued 126 Boko Haram captives while conducting clearance operations within the Gudumbali general area in Guzamala LGA of Borno State. The rescued victims comprised of 36 adult males, 36 adult females and 54 children.
“In a related development, troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade rescued 17 Boko Haram captives comprising six adult males, six adult females and five children”.
According to the statement, all rescued victims were evacuated and handed over to Internally Displaced Persons Camp officials.
It added further that, “in a separate development on the same day, February 21, 2020, the combined troops of 19 Brigade, 127 and 130 Battalions in conjunction with Army Headquarters Strike Group conducted a massive clearance operation along Mile 4 – Cross Kauwa – Tukul Village – Daban Shata all in Kukawa LGA of Borno State.
“Troops made contact with some marauding Boko Haram criminals along a River Bank at Daban Shata. After a brief encounter, one Boko Haram criminal was neutralized while two others were captured alive by the gallant troops. Additionally, seven AK-47 rifle magazines, two bandoliers, one camel bag, one military waist belt and a sample of receipt were recovered. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the captured insurgents is the Amir (a high ranking member of Boko Haram) of Daban Shata.
“Relatedly, on the same February 21, 2020, the combined troops of 29 Task Force Brigade, 273 Tank Battalion, 156 Task Force Battalion, Army Super Camp 4 and elements of 7 Division Garrison also conducted a robust clearance operation to Lambuwa, Abbusuri, Bamti, Malumti, Goni-Kanuburi and Sheworam all in Konduga LGA of Borno State. At Lambuwa, troops conducted a snap Cordon and Search Operation and arrested three suspected Boko Haram criminals with one of them bearing the name of Modu Solum (a high profile Boko Haram member and logistics supplier). However, further profiling is ongoing to ascertain the suspects’ real identities”.
Meanwhile, “in a similar vein, on February 23, 2020, troops of 231 Battalion and 331 Artillery Regiment in conjunction with elements of Borno State vigilantes arrested seven notorious Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province logistics suppliers at Maina Hari Check Point in Biu LGA of Borno State. The arrested suspects include: Mohammed Abba, Bukar Usman, Chulum Adam, Adam Alhaji Jidda, Ahmed Abba, Jidda Abdullahi and Modu Amadu. The suspects are currently in troops’ custody giving useful information.
“In another development, on February 17, 2020, vigilant troops of 271 Tank Battalion of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed at Jada Check Point in Jada LGA of Adamawa State intercepted 2 Boko Haram Logistics Suppliers namely; Sani Audu and Bana Abba in a Toyota Starlet car conveying large quantities of anti-biotics, sex enhancing and other illicit drugs and a Dane gun (concealed in the vehicle apartment) meant to be supplied to the criminal terrorists”.
Meanwhile, relentless and brutal attacks by the Nigerian military against the Boko Haram insurgents and their ally in the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have forced the terrorists to change their pattern of an indiscriminate onslaught on Nigerians and to focus on Christians and churches, Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said.
The minister, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, insisted that the unceasing pounding of the terrorists and their allies by the military had forced them to lose territories they once occupied, collected taxes and installing and deposing emirs.
Mohammed said: “Recall that Boko Haram insurgents didn’t use to discriminate between Christians and Muslims when they carried out their attacks in the past. Churches and mosques, Christians and Muslims were attacked without discrimination.
The Federal Government has honoured 12 teachers from across the country with national awards, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the education sector through improved welfare, incentives, and professional development for teachers.
The awards were presented yesterday at the Nigeria Teachers’ Summit 2026, held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated that the government would sustain reforms aimed at empowering teachers and restoring dignity to the profession.
Alausa explained that the selection process was transparent and merit-based, with three teachers nominated from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory at both the basic and senior secondary school levels.
From the pool of nominees, 12 teachers; six from basic education and six from senior secondary education, emerged as national award recipients.
Each of the 12 awardees received a cheque of N25m.
The Overall Best Teacher of the Year, Solanke Taiwo from the South-West category, received an additional N25m, bringing his total prize to N50m.
In addition to the cash prize, Taiwo is to receive a brand new car from the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, as well as a fully furnished two-bedroom flat from the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Also, the Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, pledged to give each of the award winners an additional N5 million.
The minister described the awardees as exemplifying professionalism, integrity, innovation and dedication to learners, noting that they represent the best of the teaching profession in the country.
“This is more than a reward. It is a national signal that teaching is a noble, respected, and valued profession in Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking at the summit themed ‘Empowering Teachers, Strengthening the System: A National Agenda for Education Transformation and Sustainability,’ the minister said the recognition of the teachers reflected the FG’s broader education reform agenda under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Teachers are the foundation of education, and education is the foundation of national development. No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers.
“No reform, no matter how well designed, can succeed unless teachers are empowered, motivated, supported, and respected,” Alausa said.
He pledged that the government would continue to invest in teachers through structured training, improved career pathways and fair rewards, noting that education remained central to national development.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, he said, “sustainable development, economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion depend on a strong and responsive education system and that system depends on teachers.”
As part of this commitment, the minister announced the launch of EduRevamp, a nationally coordinated Continuous Professional Development programme designed to modernise teacher training and improve classroom outcomes.
While the programme is open to teachers in both public and private schools, Alausa said performance-based incentives would be reserved for public school teachers who complete certified training.
“Professional growth must never be restricted. Every teacher deserves access to quality training, modern tools, and updated skills,” he said, adding that incentives would be tied to measurable performance.
He also highlighted complementary initiatives, including the Ignite digital platform to reduce teacher workload, the Diaspora Bridge programme to strengthen STEMM education, and the provision of 60,000 tablets for teachers with zero-data access to approved training platforms.
The minister further announced reforms to the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria’s digital platform, the expansion of Communities of Practice, and progress on the Accelerated Teacher Training Programme aimed at fast-tracking professionalisation for in-service teachers.
To provide long-term stability, he said the government had introduced a National Teacher Policy to guide teacher development, welfare and professional standards nationwide.
Addressing the award recipients and other educators at the summit, Alausa described the government’s message as “professional growth, dignity in service, and renewed hope,” urging stakeholders to focus on tangible outcomes in classrooms across the country.
In her welcoming remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, underscored the central role of teachers in Nigeria’s education reform agenda.
Ahmad said the gathering was both timely and strategic, noting that the quality of any education system is inseparable from the quality, motivation and empowerment of its teachers.
She explained that the theme aligns directly with Nigeria’s current education priorities.
According to her, investing in teachers is the bedrock of sustainable reform and national development.
“Empowering teachers is not an isolated intervention; it is the foundation upon which sustainable education reform is built.
“When teachers are supported, trained, motivated, and valued, the entire system is strengthened, learning outcomes improved, equity expands, and national development is accelerated,” she said.
Describing the summit as a strategic national platform, Ahmad said it was designed to unite key stakeholders to address challenges in the education sector and advance practical reforms.
She noted that the forum brings together teachers, policymakers, education leaders, regulators, unions, development partners and private sector actors to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes nationwide.
In his goodwill message, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audi Amba, described the summit as a historic milestone in the recognition of teachers’ roles in national development.
Nigeria’s education sector has continued to grapple with longstanding challenges, particularly around teacher welfare, access to regular professional development, classroom capacity and infrastructure.
These issues have raised concerns among stakeholders about the quality of teaching and learning in many public schools. At the same time, industrial actions by education unions in recent years have further highlighted the pressures facing educators nationwide.
The Rivers State Government has declared that it draws its confidence from the assurance that God is more than sufficient to guide its leaders, strengthen its institutions, and sustain its communities in peace and progress.
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?Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this declaration during the 2026 Holy Ghost Rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.
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?Speaking through his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, the governor stated that “with the Almighty God on our side, our challenges are surmountable and our future remains hopeful,” noting that the theme of this year’s rally, “The All-Sufficient God,” is both timely and reassuring.
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This was contained in a statement from the office of the Deputy Governor, signed by the Head of Press, ?Owupele Benebo.
?According to Fubara, the theme serves as a powerful reminder that in a world filled with uncertainty, God remains our unfailing source, sufficient in wisdom, strength, provision, and grace.
He stressed that when human ability reaches its limit, God’s sufficiency prevails.
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?The governor commended the Redeemed Christian Church of God for its consistent spiritual impact and unwavering prayers for Rivers State and the nation, expressing appreciation for the Church’s contributions to promoting moral values, unity, and faith in God.
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?In his sermon, drawn from Genesis 17:1, the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, described the Almighty God, whose name is above every other name, as all-sufficient and capable of meeting every human need.
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?He noted that the God who created all things also has the power to repair and restore them.
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?Adeboye explained that while human effort, including medical intervention, may reach its limits, there comes a point where only God steps in to turn situations around, bringing hope where none seemed possible.
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?In his address, the Pastor in charge of the Rivers Family of the RCCG, Pastor Adesoji Oni, stated that the Port Harcourt Holy Ghost Rally, which began in 2015 and has now become an annual event, has been a tremendous blessing to the people of the State.
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Adesoji noted that the rally has drawn thousands of souls to God while impacting lives spiritually and physically.
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?He further disclosed that the Church has gone beyond preaching the gospel to actively engage in impactful initiatives through its Christian Social Responsibility programmes.
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?These include skills acquisition centres, maternity centres across the State, a rehabilitation centre for persons battling substance abuse, and an Innovative Mind Hub.
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